Pneumatic tire compactor with water ballast

ABSTRACT

A water ballast for a compactor is disclosed. A ballast tank is installed under a cover plate having a plurality of holes. Through the holes of the cover plate, water falling onto the cover plate drains into the ballast tank. The edges all around the cover plate are slightly angled upwards in order to prevent water from draining out of the cover plate. Also, the water ballast has a ballast drain port on the compactor&#39;s frame. The ballast drain port is connected with a drain hole on the ballast tank by a drain hose so that it is used to drain out some water from the ballast tank.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an asphalt compactor, and more particularly, to a pneumatic tire compactor with a self-refilling water ballast system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Compactors or road rollers are construction vehicles used to compact soil or asphalt in the construction of roads. As they use the weight of the vehicle to compress the surface being rolled, the working parts for compacting are mostly steel drums. However, these steel drums can be replaced by pneumatic tires in certain designs. In road construction, pneumatic tire compactors are used to follow normal steel drum compactors to even the surface more smoothly and densely.

In case of a pneumatic tire compactor, the surface of the ground that tires made of rubber touch is very large, and the weight of pneumatic tires is much smaller than the steel drum. Therefore, installation of a ballast tank is generally needed in order to supplement the lacking weight. The ballast tank is generally installed under the operator platform of the body frame.

The ballast tank can be filled with various kinds of heavy materials, such as water, sand, and steel scraps. Among them, water ballast is becoming more common as it is cheaper and environmentally friendly. Also, users can occasionally empty the ballast since a lighter machine is easier to transport between work sites. Water ballast is also much easier to be emptied and refilled comparing with wet sand or steel scraps.

However, as a liquid in a road machine, water is very susceptible to spillage, evaporation, and other environmental concerns that result in loss of ballast. In order to maintain a constant and smooth finish, the ballast weight should also remain constant. Therefore, the ballast must be periodically refilled over the course of a day/week/month/season or whenever necessary.

FIG. 1 shows a part of a conventional pneumatic tire compactor with water ballast which must be refilled from an outside water source. This refilling process is performed manually through access panels 102 a, 102 b, 102 c. Each of the two adjacent panels are connected by hinges 108-n, and the edges of the panel that is opposite to the edges having hinges 108-n are mounted on the upper rim of ballast tank 106 by bolts 110-n. In order to refill ballast tank 106, bolts 110-n are removed and panels 102 b, 102 c should be rotated up along the hinges 108-n. Then, a hose is inserted underneath in order to refill ballast tank 106. This is very time-consuming and causes delays in work, resulting in lower productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there provides a compactor which has a water ballast tank. An upper portion of the compactor's body frame is open. The ballast tank is installed inside the body frame, and the opened upper portion of the body frame is covered by a cover plate.

Through the holes of the cover plate, rainwater falling onto the cover plate drains into the ballast tank. Additionally, the edges around the cover plate are slightly angled upwards in order to prevent water from draining out of the cover plate. The raised edges of the cover plate are solid such that water can be collected inwards.

Also, the water ballast tank has a ballast drain port on the compactor's body frame. The ballast drain port is connected with the ballast tank by a ballast drain hose, and that is used to drain out some water from the ballast tank.

The ballast tank of the present disclosure is refilled with water falling onto the cover plate through the holes on the cover plate. Therefore, the refilling method of the present disclosure is completely environmentally friendly, economical and time saving.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional water ballast system of which the cover plate has three panels and hinges between each adjacent two panels;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a compactor of which the water ballast system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed under the cover plate;

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b are perspective views of part “A” in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water ballast system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure of which the cover plate has a water inducing slope;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a water ballast system according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure of which the water ballast tank has a water level sensor;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with the following embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these embodiments alone. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details.

FIG. 2 shows a pneumatic tire compactor 200 in its entirety having a water ballast system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. An upper portion of the compactor's body frame is open. A ballast tank 206 is installed inside the body frame, and the opened upper portion of the body frame is covered by a cover plate 204. The edges of cover plate 204 are placed on the upper rim of the body frame and joined to the frame by appropriate means such as bolts 216-n.

Accordingly, ballast tank 206 is installed under cover plate 204. Cover plate 204 is disposed alongside a cabin plate 210 above the body frame. Cabin plate 210 is the plate on which a cabin 202 is mounted. Ballast tank 206 is filled with water.

A drain hole 212 is formed on the side of ballast tank 206. Drain hole 212 is connected with a drain hose 214 and the other end of drain hose 214 is connected with a ballast drain port 208. Ballast drain port 208 is on the side of compactor 200's body frame. Drain hole 212 can be formed on any appropriate position of ballast tank 206 based on needs. Likewise, ballast drain port 208 can also be formed on any appropriate position of the body frame. It is preferable that ballast drain port 208 is on the lower side of compactor 200. Users can drain out ballast tank 206 by controlling ballast drain port 208.

Ballast tank 206 is filled with water on site while working to achieve the desired weight. However, the lighter machine is easier to transport between work sites. Therefore, when transporting the machine to another site, users can drain water through ballast drain port 208 to empty ballast tank 206.

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b show same perspective views of part “A” in FIG. 2. Cover plate 204 has a plurality of holes 300-n. Holes 300-n are scattered on cover plate 204, so rainwater can be drained into ballast tank 206 through holes 300-n.

The number of holes 300-n can be increased at the center location of cover plate 204, or holes 300-n can be only formed at the center location of cover plate 204. This is efficient since the natural vibration and the turns of the machine should allow any collected water to drain into ballast tank 206. Holes 300-n can also be used for drainage of any water used to clean the platform surface of the machine.

It is preferable that cover plate 204 is made of a single plate. However, based on needs, cover plate 204 can be made of more than two panels. For example, FIG. 3a shows cover plate 204 having two panels 304 a and 304 b. Panels 304 a and 304 b are connected by seamless joints 308-n. Seamless joints 308-n can have structure that the cross section of one panel's edge has a protrusion, and the other panel's edge has a receptor in the opposite direction. The two edge's cross sectional shapes are complementary so that they can be engaged each other.

As shown in part “B” of FIG. 3b , edges 302 a, 302 b, 302 c, 302 d, 302 e, 302 f all around cover plate 204 are angled upwards and raised so that water falling onto cover plate 204 is prevented from draining out over the edges of the machine. These raised edges of cover plate 204 are solid and tight enough to collect water near the edges without draining water out of the machine.

Accordingly, by preventing the need to transport water to the job location and by using any water falling on the cover plate, the method of the present disclosure is good for the environment and natural. Also, there is no need to provide additional devices for manual refilling such as, hinges, water supply hoses, and storage tanks.

FIG. 4 shows a water ballast system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure of which a cover plate 402 has a water inducing slope. The water inducing slope can be designed in various types based on the users' need.

The inside periphery of the frame's upper rim has a protrusion running along itself. As a preferred embodiment, the protrusion can be formed into a slope-like structure inclined from opposite ending sides to middle side and the middle portion is flat. The edges of cover plate 402 are mounted on the protrusion. For example, FIG. 4 shows cover plate 402 having three panels 404 a, 404 b and 404 c. Panel 404 a and panel 404 b are mounted being inclined from both ending sides towards the middle portion. Panel 404 c is supported by the middle portion of the protrusion. Holes 408 a-n are intensively formed on middle panel 404 c.

Panels 404 a and 404 b inclines towards the middle portion which is the lowest part of cover plate 402. Holes 408 a-n are intensively formed on the middle panel 404 c. Water falling on cover plate 402 flows down from the ending sides to the middle panel 404 c along the slopes of panels 404 a, 404 b. Then, water collected at the middle panel 404 c drains into ballast tank 406 through holes 408 a-n.

As mentioned above, the natural vibration and the turns of the compactor allow water to be collected on the middle of cover plate 402. Therefore, center intensively formed holes 408 a-n are helpful to collect water more efficiently. In this embodiment, other holes 408 b-n are subsidiary to center intensively formed holes 408 a-n.

In this embodiment, it is not necessary that the edges of cover plate 402 are angled upwards and raised since water falling onto cover plate 402 cannot drain out over the edges.

FIG. 5 shows a water ballast system according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure which has a water level sensor 502. Water level sensor 502 is installed inside of a ballast tank 500 at an appropriate height. When activated, water level sensor 502 sends a corresponding signal to the operation cabin so that users can drain water by opening ballast drain port 208 (shown in FIG. 2).

The position of water level sensor 502 can be appropriately decided based on needs. For example, if the machine is used to work on the inclined ground, it is easy for the machine to be inclined. If that happens, the water on ballast tank 500 leans to one side so that water can overflow and spill out naturally. Therefore, the water volume of ballast tank 500 has to be under a set volume that is smaller than full volume of ballast tank 500. Accordingly, it is preferred that water level sensor 502 is installed in the position that it can be activated before ballast tank 500 is fully filled.

It should be noted that the self-refilled water ballast, according to the present disclosure, is not limited to the pneumatic tire compactors as shown in the embodiments, but can be widely used for various construction machinery equipped with a ballast system.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments in the attached figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. 

1. A pneumatic tire compactor with a water ballast system, comprising: a frame of which the top is opened; a ballast tank installed in said frame; a cover plate of which the edges are placed on the upper rim of said frame and fixed with said frame, said cover plate having a plurality of holes through which said ballast tank opens to the atmosphere; a ballast drain port installed on the side of said frame for draining water out of said ballast tank; and whereby water falling onto said cover plate drains into said ballast tank through said holes.
 2. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover plate comprising: a plurality of panels; and a plurality of seamless joints connecting each of the two adjacent panels.
 3. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said edges around said cover plate are angled upwards and raised.
 4. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holes are intensively formed on the middle portion of said cover plate.
 5. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holes are only formed on the middle portion of said cover plate.
 6. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a water level sensor installed inside of said ballast tank and sending a signal to an operation cabin when the level of the water in said ballast tank is in excess of a set value.
 7. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a drain hose having one end connected with a drain hole formed on the side of said ballast tank and the other end connected with said ballast drain port.
 8. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ballast drain port is formed on the lower side of said frame.
 9. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said panels are disposed as being inclined, whereby water on said cover plate flows down along said inclined panels.
 10. The pneumatic tire compactor as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: protrusions formed along inside periphery of said frame's upper rim, said protrusion forming an incline angle from the opposite ending sides to the middle portion, and said middle portion being flat; and wherein said panels are supported by said protrusions. 